Arkansas State’s game-winning TD vs. Central Arkansas should have been no good, Sun Belt says

Arkansas State’s game-winning touchdown catch against Central Arkansas with three seconds left should have been upheld as incomplete on replay, and an error in the replay process ruled it a touchdown, the Sun Belt Conference announced Tuesday.

Arkansas State receiver Corey Rucker caught the pass in the final seconds while falling out of the corner of the end zone, and the play was ruled as incomplete. After review, it was ruled complete because Rucker got one foot down and maintained control. While Rucker’s foot was in, other footage showed him lose the ball after he hit the ground.

“The replay official was focused on the firm control and body part down aspects of the act of a catch and failed to evaluate the surviving the ground aspect of a catch during the review of the play in question,” the Sun Belt said in a statement. “The right end zone camera shows the receiver did not survive the ground, but this camera angle was not consulted by the replay official. The replay ruling should have confirmed the on-field call of an incomplete pass.”

Rucker admitted he was surprised they ruled the play a touchdown.“Initially I thought they were reviewing the possession because once I hit the ground and rolled over, the ball came out,” he told reporters after the game. “So, in my mind, I didn’t think it was a catch just because I thought they were reviewing the possession.”

Central Arkansas coach Nathan Brown said on his Monday radio show the Sun Belt had reached out to admit the error.

“You just wish and hope the nature and the reasoning for a replay is to get it without a shadow of a doubt,” Brown said. “No reason why it’s not a correct call is the whole point of having a replay. I thought the longer it went, the better off for the Bears because if you’re dissecting a play for what was essentially eight minutes and 36 seconds — we counted — of review time, that’s a lot of time to try and figure out if it was a catch. That was the part that in the end was a little bit frustrating.”

The Sun Belt and SEC share replay services at SEC headquarters in Birmingham and have an officiating agreement.

Arkansas State hosts Tulsa this Saturday, while Central Arkansas plays at Lindenwood.

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(Photo of Central Arkansas coach Nathan Brown : Matt Bush / USA Today)